Fishers Cats drop twinbill

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats dropped both ends of a doubleheader Tuesday in Trenton, N.J.

Slade Heathcott's three-run homer lifted the Trenton Thunder to a 6-4 win in the opener, and Ali Castillo's eighth-inning single plated the winning run in the nightcap.

Trenton put three consecutive hits together in the bottom of the eighth inning to earn the win. J. R. Murphy doubled and Slade Heathcott followed with a bunt single. Castillo then singled through a drawn-in infield off Trystan Magnuson (1-1) for the win.

The Fisher Cats (11-15) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning of the nightcap. Kevin Pillar singled, stole second, advanced to third on a fielder's choice and scored on a passed ball for a 1-0 lead.

Trenton's first run was also unearned. Heathcott reached on an error and when Castillo's single slipped past Adam Loewen in right field, Heathcott scored the tying run.

New Hampshire starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx worked the first four innings, allowing two hits, walking two and striking out four. Chorye Spoone and Chad Back combined for three scoreless innings in relief.

Trenton's Tommy Kahnle (1-1) worked around base runners in the top of the seventh and eighth innings to earn his first win in relief of starter Caleb Cotham.

In the opener, Heathcott's fifth-inning blast, with Tyler Austin and JR Murphy aboard, made a winner of Matt Tracy, who pitched six innings for Trenton, allowing four runs and eight hits.

The Fisher Cats took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Kevin Pillar's leadoff homer. It was Pillar's third homer of the year. Trenton scored in the bottom of the inning on Kyle Roller's sacrifice fly to score Ramon Flores. Trenton was helped by two errors in the inning by New Hampshire second baseman John Tolisano, who committed three overall.

Clint Robinson led off the second with a homer for New Hampshire to give the Fisher Cats a 2-1 lead, but Trenton went ahead in the bottom of the third with a run on a double-play groundout and a Roller single to score Jose Pirela.

New Hampshire went back in front in the fifth on Ricardo Nanita's two-run homer, with Tolisano aboard. The blast gave the Fisher Cats a 4-3 lead before Trenton's three-run outburst in the bottom of the inning.

Ryan Tepera (3-1) took his first loss of the season for New Hampshire, allowing five runs, four earned, in four innings.